Cullman is served by TV stations and FM radio stations from both Huntsville and Birmingham. Cullman County is a part of the designated market area, or "DMA," of Birmingham. Electricity in Cullman County is provided by the Tennessee Valley Authority and by the Alabama Power Company. For a long time, telephone service in this county was provided by the Southern Bell Company.

There is no commercial air transportation service in Cullman County, and this county is no longer served by intercity commercial buses.

History

This area was inhabited for thousands of years by varying cultures of indigenous peoples. The historic Cherokee and Choctaw lived here at the time of European encounter, with the Cherokee moving in after the American Revolutionary War and in response to pressures from northern area. Their settlements in Alabama were known as the Lower Towns.

Cullman County was organized in 1877 primarily by German American immigrants who had moved down from Cincinnati, Ohio. They founded an agricultural community and sought to create an agricultural revolution in what had been a frontier area, in the best traditions of innovation in the New South. However, hard geographical and social realities clashed with the often impractical vision of colonizer John G. Cullmann. His Germans, with their traditional work ethic and willingness to experiment with such new products as wine and strawberries, tried to make practical changes in southern farming. The Germans were outnumbered by more traditional families from neighboring regions, who replicated the traditional southern cotton culture.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 755 square miles (1,960 km2), of which 735 square miles (1,900 km2) is land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (2.7%) is water.[4]

There were 30,706 households out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 8.80% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,256, and the median income for a family was $39,341. Males had a median income of $30,444 versus $20,436 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,922. About 9.50% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over.

There were 31,864 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,567, and the median income for a family was $47,771. Males had a median income of $36,952 versus $27,979 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,284. About 12.8% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.6% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.

Vinemont Christian Academy - located in South Vinemont (Grades PreK-12)

Cullman is also the home of Wallace State Community College in Hanceville. It was named for the former Governor of Alabama, George C. Wallace. The public, non-profit college opened its doors in 1966 and has grown to become the third largest community college in the state of Alabama, with an enrollment of around 6,000 students. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award degrees. Many programs have additional accreditation from organizations appropriate to the particular disciplines. Wallace State offers hundreds of degree and certificate options in dozens of programs in its Academic, Health and Technical Divisions. The college offers more Health programs than any other community college in the state. The college offers early enrollment through its Dual Enrollment, Fast Track Academy and Fast Track for Industry programs, the latter of which is funded through grants that allow free tuition for qualified students entering the technical, academic and health programs included in the program. The college's current president is Dr. Vicki P. Karolewics, who is the institution's third president in 50 years. She was preceded by Dr. James C. Bailey from 1971 to 2003 and Dr. Ben Johnson from 1965 to 1971. The college is located in the southern portion of Cullman County on a verdant 300-acre campus that includes state-of-the-art facilities, men's and women's dormitories and multiple recreational opportunities. The college boasts several national championship athletic teams and competes in Division I of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Athletic programs at Wallace State include men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, volleyball and cheerleading.